By Laurence Gibbons, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@Gibbonsgob)
NXT UK TV
Taped in London, England at BT Sport Studios
Streamed April 29, 2021 on WWE Network and Peacock
Andy Shepherd and Nigel McGuinness were the broadcast team…
Teoman made his entrance to kick off the show. Rohan Raja made his debut entrance whilst a promo aired from earlier in the day in which he discussed his unique upbringing.
1. Teoman vs. Rohan Raja. Raja took Teoman down to the mat straight away, prompting the German to give him a huge slap as a receipt. A few moments later, Raja hit a neckbreaker on Teoman and gave him a massive slap in return. Raja then verbally demanded respect from Teoman.
Raja scored a close two count from a sit-out powerbomb. Teoman took out the leg and followed it up with a DDT from the top rope. The Berlin-native locked the crossface on Raja for what seemed like an eternity. True to his claims from last week, Raja refused to quit. Teoman ripped the arm backward making a mighty click. The referee immediately called for a stoppage.
Teoman defeated Rohan Raja in 6:13.
Gibbons’ Opinion: This was a good physical match to start the show. Both men offered athletic offense and strong-style strikes. The end of this match had a unique feel. The stoppage gave it the vibe of a UFC fight. Raja – who was born in the UK, raised in Australia and trained in Canada – looks like a decent addition to the roster.
A vignette aired for Dani Luna, Flash Morgan Webster and Mark Andrews talking about their shared experiences of subculture. Seems like they will be using the stable name Subculture going forward…
Ilja Dragunov was giving an interview when Dave Mastiff interrupted him and challenged him to a match…
In the ring, Sid Scala introduced the longest-reigning NXT UK Women’s Champion Kay Lee Ray. Scala informed KLR that a gauntlet match would take place between Jinny, Isla Dawn, Xia Brookside, Dani Luna and Emilia McKenzie with the winner getting a shot at KLR’s title…
Gibbons’ Opinion: NXT UK has built very nicely to this announcement. Nobody feels thrown into this gauntlet. Each woman has done something this year to earn the opportunity. I’ve written praise about each of these women at some point and will look forward to this match.
Vignettes aired for Pretty Deadly saying ‘yeah boy’ a lot and A-Kid looking forward to his match with Tyler Bate…
2. Levi Muir vs. Sha Samuels. Muir brought it to Samuels in the first few moments until the “East End Butcher” used his experience and strength to take control. Samuels hit a big clothesline and put Muir in the shoulder lock. Muir escaped the Butcher’s Hook and worked his way back into the match. He lifted Samuels to his shoulders but Samuels raked the eyes of his opponent. Samuels followed this distraction up with the spinebuster for the win.
Sha Samuels defeated Levi Muir in 4:01.
Gibbons’ Opinion: An okay match. Muir didn’t get the opportunity to do a lot. It worked well to continue to build up Samuels. His physicality makes his matches fun to watch but I’d like to see some more variety on the mic from him. If they are going to continue with the butcher gimmick, let’s hear him talk about dissecting his opponents and punching meat – ala Rocky Balboa.
Trent Seven was talking backstage about being a founding father of NXT UK when Sam Gradwell interrupted and said they signed a contract on the same day. He said he wouldn’t put him on a pedestal like everyone else…
Aoife Valkyrie made her entrance whilst Shepherd recapped the challenge she made to Meiko Satomura to lead to this match. Satomura made her entrance…
3. Aiofe Valkyrie vs. Meiko Satomura. Valkyrie bowed to “The Best in the World” to show respect as the match started. Satomura repaid this with a sharp kick to Valkyrie’s thigh. Satomura took control of the match by refusing to let go of the arm and grappling with Valkyrie. Valkyrie tried to prove she could match Satomura hold for hold but Satomura seemed to have a counter for everything.
Valkyrie eventually hit an enziguri to Satomura that sent the Japanese legend outside. Valkyrie sent her back in the ring and locked on a double shoulder submission hold. The two women then traded kick for kick until Satomura took Valkyrie off her feet with a shot to the head. With both women on the top rope, Valkyrie rolled into a powerbomb to score a two count.
Satomura hit a suplex and went for the Scorpion Rising. Valkyrie hit the spinning axe kick and a moonsault for another two count. Valkyrie missed the diving split-leg dropkick allowing Satomura to hit successive cartwheel kicks to the back of her neck. Satomura hit the Scorpion Rising for the win.
Meiko Satomura defeated Aoife Valkyrie in 11:22.
After the bell, Satomura bowed to Valkyrie to repay the respect she had shown her at the beginning of the match…
Gibbons’ Opinion: This was a really enjoyable battle between the veteran Satomura and Valkyrie, who was undefeated coming into the match. It kept us guessing over who would get the victory. I’m happy for Satomura to go over as she needs to continue to pick up victories to live up to her legend. Giving her a win against someone who is undefeated is a good way to do this. Valkyrie looked great in this match and won’t be affected by the loss.
A video package aired about the three-year relationship between Kenny Williams and Amir Jordan. It detailed everything from their tag team formation to the fall out that has led to their no-DQ loser leaves town match, next week …
We got confirmation that on next week’s show Ilja Dragunov will battle Dave Mastiff and Nathan Fraser will be on SPRNVA Sessions…
Primate, T-Bone and Eddie Dennis made their entrance with new music, ring gear and now going by the name Symbiosis. Gallus made their entrance…
4. “Symbiosis” Primate, T-Bone and Eddie Dennis vs. “Gallus” Mark Coffey, Joe Coffey and Wolfgang. T-Bone and Joe Coffey started the match as the other four men shouted encouragement. Both teams worked quick tags to try and stay on top but it was an evenly-weighted contest. Symbiosis managed to single out Joe Coffey to gain control of the contest.
Joe Coffey wriggled out of Dennis’s Seven Bridge and hit a crossbody. This allowed him to tag in Wolfgang who immediately sent Dennis and Primate to the outside. Both teams worked through quick tags and constantly knocked each other off the apron to the mat outside. Mark Coffey hit a side slam on Primate and tagged in Wolfgang who hit a drive-by back senton and then tagged in Joe Coffey, who hit the ‘Best of the Bells’ for the win. Eddie Dennis seemed to have the option to split up the pin but chose not to…
“Gallus” Mark Coffey, Joe Coffey and Wolfgang defeated “Symbiosis” Primate, T-Bone and Eddie Dennis in 9:28.
Gibbons’ Opinion: Symbiosis is a mutually beneficial relationship between different people or groups. I can certainly see the benefit for T-Bone in being in the group as he was losing a lot before joining. Time will tell if Primate is better in Symbiosis than in his team with Wild Boar. Dennis obviously benefits from having a couple of hired guns by his side to back up his brash talking.
However, it would have been beneficial for this team to win their first match with a new name. This could have happened had Dennis broken up the decided pin. He didn’t and we will live to wonder if it would have had any impact. So, we end up with the Gallus boys ‘on top’. There seemed to be a lot of camera glitches during this episode but particularly in this final match. This either means we are going to see a new superstar or gimmick soon, or one of the wires was loose. I think it might be the latter. My audio review of this episode will be available on Friday morning for Dot Net Members.
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